Cessna 172N accident near Knoxville, Tennessee, September 29, 1991
On September 29, 1991 at about 6:10 am local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5918E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Knoxville, Tennessee (Downtown Island Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ACCURATELY EVALUATE THE WEATHER CONDITIONS BEFORE ATTEMPTING A TAKEOFF AND HIS DELAY IN ABORTING THE TAKEOFF PROCEDURE. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 1991 · about 6:10 am local time
- Place
- Knoxville, Tennessee · Downtown Island Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5918E · no longer on the register · serial 17271960
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED AN EARLY MORNING TAKEOFF FROM A RUNWAY WHERE FOG HAD FORMED. HE ATTEMPTED A MID-FIELD DEPARTURE WITH 2700 FEET OF RUNWAY, BUT ENCOUNTERED ADDITIONAL FOG DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. HE ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF PROCEDURE WITH INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY TO SAFELY STOP THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 26 AND SANK IN THE RIVER.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 89 hours in all; 79 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 54 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,346 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 17, 1991; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aviation Atlanta, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: DKX Knoxvill TN at 6:10 am
- Destination: PDK Chamblee GA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 26, 2,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 am from TYS, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N5918E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.